Trapped Together
by fringeperson
Summary: A nice girl and an attractive man get trapped together in a cave, no other company, no way out, and no privacy. Throw in that they already kinda liked each other already, just a little, and wait for the sparks to fly. oneshot, complete, don't own, SessKag


"Well, _this_ is unexpected," Kagome grouched as she was dumped on her rear into a _very_ large holding cell by Kagura.

"Naraku just wants you out of the way, Priestess," the wind witch answered, exhaustion radiating from her face as she looked down into the cell she'd dropped her captive into. "The bastard doesn't have any particularly convoluted plans for your stay, as far as I am aware anyway."

Kagome nodded. She didn't particularly like Kagura, but for an enemy she wasn't that bad. Of course, that could be put down to her being a _reluctant_ enemy.

"Of course, I don't think he plans on feeding you all that often either, if at all," Kagura put in, "though there is a clean spring for your use."

Kagome nodded again, and the demoness flew off.

"At least I have my stuff," she said quietly to herself, setting her bow, quiver of arrows and over-stuffed backpack all down on the ground at her feet. For once, she could be grateful to InuYasha's impatience – it meant that she had enough supplies to get her through two months at very least, since she wouldn't have to share with anybody, and that was if she ate normally. She'd be able to get some study done while she was stuck here too.

She hadn't eaten since breakfast though, and it was by now _very_ late in the day. Kagome dug down into her bag for the bento that she had made before InuYasha had dragged her down the well. The already cooked food would need to be eaten first of all that she had packed. Then the fresh fruit and vegetables, then the freeze-dried stuff – like InuYasha's ramen.

A deep rumbling, slightly gurgling sound came from behind her when she took the lid off and the delicious smells of the packed lunch wafted up to her nose. Kagome whipped her head around to try and see who _else _had caught scent of her lunch, that their stomach would cry out for it. The sight that greeted her eyes caused her to gasp in surprise.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed in astonishment. "What are you doing down here?"

"Being tortured, it would seem," he answered, his tone droll, as though it were nothing at all, looking out the corner of one cold, golden eye to pin her in place. "This Sesshoumaru has been the wretched hanyou's prisoner for two moon-cycles already, ever since he killed this one's pack while this one was meeting with his mother."

"The little girl who followed you?" Kagome asked, horrified.

Sesshoumaru nodded, then frowned as his stomach gurgled loudly once more.

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed, looking down at the bento still open in her hands. Quickly she grabbed up an extra pair of chopsticks and hurried over to his side. "Would you care to share my bento, Sesshoumaru? It may not be what you are used to, but it is better than nothing."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru grunted, shifting himself a little more upright against the wall he had been leaning against. "Especially after two moon-cycles with nothing but icy water. Though this Sesshoumaru normally does not eat human food and abhors charity, in this instance, this one will accept."

Kagome smiled slightly, though her brown eyes were sad as she took in the state of the normally regal demon that was sitting before her. His skin was paler than usual, his cheeks a little sunken, his beautiful hair was limp and his normally pristine garments were beginning to look unwashed. Even if they weren't friends, Kagome still couldn't help but think that Sesshoumaru should never be in such a state. And then there was that he was still missing an arm from when the two of them had first met.

"Is that the only way in and out?" Kagome asked, pointing to the whole in the roof where Kagura had dropped her through – on a feather just for her, so that she didn't break her legs when she landed, which was very thoughtful of her.

Sesshoumaru nodded as he silently lifted some of the omelette from the bento with the chopsticks that Kagome had passed to him.

They didn't talk after that until everything had been cleaned out of the bento, at which point Sesshoumaru complimented the food, in his own superior way of course.

"This Sesshoumaru was unaware that humans were capable of preparing such satisfying meals, particularly meals that were pleasing to this one's palate," he said.

Kagome smiled. "Well, some of the herbs and spices I used when I made it were imported from other countries, so people in villages probably wouldn't be able to make some of these dishes, or at least, not the same, but I'm glad you liked it," she said, bowing her head slightly, showing her gratitude for the compliment. "Then again," she said, her smile widening, "I remember my mother saying once that things always taste better when you're really hungry."

"This Sesshoumaru has never had to endure _hunger_ before," the reduced demon answered her, "so this one would not know."

Kagome gave a very small, gentle smile and her eyes communicated that she understood, then she stood and went to find the spring that Kagura had mentioned – and that Sesshoumaru had confirmed the existence of, though he said it was icy cold. She didn't have to go far to find it. It was bubbling up only a foot away from where Sesshoumaru was sitting. Still, she followed the stream of it further away, not wanting to wash the bento so close to the source, where the water would be its freshest.

Following the small spring through the cavernous prison, Kagome found that it formed a pool – also icy cold – just a short distance from where it left the cave and continued into whatever was beyond. With a satisfied nod of her head, Kagome started washing the bento box in the last part of the stream before the water disappeared into the unknown.

Kagome set the bento down beside her pack when she returned to it, and took out one of her text books. If she was going to be stuck in a hole for who knew how long, she might as well study. It was possible, after all, that with no interruptions and nothing present to cause stress, she might even begin to understand the calculus section of her mathematics textbook. Setting exactly that book on her lap and withdrawing a pacer, Kagome set to her study, diligently reading the theoretical explanations and then attempting the problems set for her to try and solve.

"Miko, what is it you do?" Sesshoumaru's voice called softly – in the cave they were trapped in, there really was _no_ need for him to raise his voice, especially since the only other sound was the gentle bubbling of the spring.

Kagome jerked her head up in surprise. She'd forgotten about the demon lord for a moment, so involved in trying to understand the theory in front of her. "Er, I'm studying," she answered.

"You can read?"

Kagome smiled a little ruefully. "Yeah," she answered. "Though sometimes I suspect InuYasha of preventing me from my studies so that I'll forget, just so that he doesn't feel as stupid."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Likely," he agreed. "Sit by this one," he instructed, beckoning her over. "It will be more diverting to see what you study than to stare at the wall."

Kagome's smile grew a little wider, and she picked up her things and migrated to his side. "I dare say you'll understand the mathematics better than I do," she said as she settled down once more. "I remember someone saying that the mind of the male was better equipped to understand complex equations than women."

"Hn," was Sesshoumaru's answer to that, even as he tilted his head slightly to see the page that Kagome's text was open to.

~oOo~

The days fell quickly into a routine. Sleep came early and waking came late – so as to use less energy and have less time to potentially become bored in. Kagome would select a text book, starting at the beginning, and she and Sesshoumaru would work through it together until the material was understood. They would share a piece of fruit in the middle of the day, their only food intake, though they did drink as often as they needed, frequently drinking to stave off hunger as well as thirst. Sometimes Sesshoumaru even deigned to teach Kagome about combat, how to attack and defend, how to access and channel her powers more efficiently and whenever she wanted to rather than as she had been doing. He even helped her improve her archery and called her by her name.

After all, they had nothing better to do, and with regular – though carefully rationed – food, he wasn't as weak as he had been when she was dropped in with him.

Then Kagome noticed something different about the cave.

"I didn't think we'd been down here that long," she said, her gaze fixed on the part of the cave where they had been discarding the seeds of the fruit they were sharing – still sharing, she hadn't run out yet.

"You have not yet been trapped with this one for a full moon-cycle," Sesshoumaru agreed. "It is the regular release of your miko powers as this one has been training you. This has encouraged life to take hold, even in a barren cave."

"Oh," Kagome said, slightly awed. She hadn't known she could do that. Then she smiled. "That's great!" she decided. "If they grow fast, maybe we'll have fresh fruit by the time I run out of supplies!"

Sesshoumaru chuckled dryly at her enthusiasm. "Fruit bearing plants of any kind generally require some form of pollination," he pointed out.

Kagome waved off the concern. "I can do that," she asserted. "It's just a matter of picking one flower and brushing it over all the others." She'd gotten to help hand-pollinate at a peach farm as part of a school excursion once. Before falling into the well of course. InuYasha hadn't let her back to her own time for long enough to go on a school excursion since they'd met.

A determined spark in her eyes, Kagome sat down in front of the budding bits of green and began carefully releasing her energy.

"Growth, strength, health, life," she said quietly to herself. "Growth, strength, health, life," she repeated, and again and again, a mantra until each little tentative shoot was a decent-sized sapling. Kagome beamed with delight at her accomplishment as she turned to seek approval from Sesshoumaru. After all, he'd been the one teaching her how to direct her powers.

He was looking at her though. He was looking at his hand, carefully opening and closing his fingers, rotating the wrist, even extending the elbow.

Kagome wondered what he was doing until she realised exactly _which_ arm it was. The arm that InuYasha had cut off, back on the day they'd met.

Eventually, Sesshoumaru looked up at her.

"As much as this Sesshoumaru is pleased to have his arm once more, it is clear evidence that you still need to work on your control Kagome," he said.

Kagome ducked her head in embarrassment, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She _had_ done something good after all, even if she hadn't meant to.

"Further practice with _that_ can wait for now however," Sesshoumaru decided and picked up one of her text books that hadn't gone back into her bag yet. "This Sesshoumaru is determined to see you complete this mathematics text before the beginning of the next moon-cycle."

If Kagome had been back in her home era, she might have groaned about being nagged to work on her math homework, but Sesshoumaru peering over her shoulder somehow made the work more interesting, and when she became confused and frustrated he calmed her down, had her turn back to the theory section and took her over it again and again until she understood. If she ever got out of this prison and got back to school, she'd totally get a perfect score on her next maths test – whatever section of the text it was on, since Sesshoumaru also had her periodically go back over completed sections to make sure she still remembered how to do the stuff she'd already learned.

It was like having the best personal tutor ever.

It really was amazing how quickly and how easily they'd fallen into routine together, as though they had never been enemies of any kind. Actually, what Kagome found the most surprising was that Sesshoumaru hadn't objected to her smell yet. She hadn't gotten up the guts yet to tempt bathing in the freezing cold pool yet, and it _had_ been a while.

~oOo~

"I don't think I can stand this much longer," Kagome grumbled to herself, bending to sniff at herself. It wasn't as bad as she'd thought it would be, but it was still a bit strong.

"What are you complaining about Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked, not turning his head from where he had it resting against his pelt, eyes closed. It was morning, and earlier than either of them usually bothered waking.

"Why aren't _you_ complaining?" she answered. "I haven't bathed for weeks! I hate not being clean, and I can _feel_ how filthy I am. Sweat, dirt, unwashed skin and unwashed clothes. Ooh, if that water weren't as cold as it is I'd have bathed a _lot_ sooner."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Your natural scent is surprisingly inoffensive for someone of your species. It could even be called pleasant. Bathing in that pool will only serve to weaken your constitution. When _this Sesshoumaru_ says that your smell has become offensive, _then_ you should bathe."

Kagome sighed. "Well I'm glad I'm not offending your nose," she said, and really she _was_, but... "I'd still _feel_ better if I was clean, even if it has to be cold water."

"Do as you please," Sesshoumaru deferred in dismissal, burying his face further into his pelt. He hadn't once so much as opened a single golden eye through that conversation.

Kagome sighed again and gathered her bathing supplies. The pool was just as cold as the spring was at the source on the other side of the cave, but Kagome climbed in all the same and quickly set to scrubbing herself. Soap, shampoo, conditioner, face-scrub, then out as fast as she could to dry off and warm up with a towel.

When she was hastily climbing out of the chilled water again, Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru. There was no way to _stop_ him from peeping if he wanted to, but she'd taken it on faith that he wouldn't – he was a noble, he had honour, and he'd said before that humans were beneath him. He had no reason to want to peep on her.

Now though, as Kagome stood there in nothing but her fluffy yellow towel, her hand froze on its way to picking up the clean clothes she'd brought to the edge of the pool with her – there had been no point in putting on clean clothes if _she_ wasn't _also_ going to be clean, so this would be the first time she'd have clean underwear since she'd been dropped into this prison as well.

Sesshoumaru was breathing deeply, deliberately, and with his nose pointed in _her_ direction. His golden eyes were almost closed, but _almost_ was not the same as _completely_, and Kagome was _quite_ sure he could see her perfectly clearly as he scented the air – or more likely, _her_.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"You are ripe," he informed her, his voice lower than usual. "The odours of sweat and dirt on your person masked the smell of your body making itself ready to receive a male. Now that the stronger, surface odours have been washed from your person, the scent of your _virginal_ _fertility_ is cloyingly prevalent."

Kagome gulped as her face turned red in embarrassment. InuYasha had never smelled when she was having her period, the bloody bit that would come _after_ she hit her fertility peak, and here Sesshoumaru was aware of the much more subtle scent! Further proof of just which of the two brothers had the superior nose.

"I'm sorry," Kagome muttered, bowing her head. "I can't help it," she added. "Human women have their cycle every month unless they're with child."

A deep rumbling started in Sesshoumaru's chest. "You are fortunate that this Sesshoumaru has more control over his instincts than to pup you right now for your attractive smell and talk of little ones," he informed her, and if his tone wasn't so heatedly earnest it could have been called cold.

"Because you don't like humans," Kagome said quietly, "and hate half-breeds."

"No," Sesshoumaru countered, turning from her to press his face against his pelt once more. "This Sesshoumaru does not like _most_ humans, and hates only two half-breeds, and that not exclusively because they are half-breeds." He looked back at her from the corner of his eye. "This Sesshoumaru will not take you because this one is not first in your heart." He averted his gaze once more, then closed his eyes. "Dress Kagome. You are _far_ too tempting."

Kagome hurried to do just that, even as his reasoning settled in her mind. Who would have thought that Sesshoumaru could be romantic? Or maybe it was just a matter of pride. Though, Kagome knew, Sesshoumaru also didn't just take from any woman that wanted him above all others – there were plenty of those after all, and to the best of her knowledge he'd ignored them _all_. Which made it interesting that his reason for not jumping her was that _she_ _wasn't in love with him_.

~oOo~

The fresh fruit eventually ran out, but the fruit _trees_ were growing well, even if none of them had any fruit on them yet. Kagome finally brought out the little gas stove that she had in the bottom of her bag for the occasions when there wasn't any dry wood to be had for making a fire, and the kettle, and the first bowl of InuYasha's ramen. Sure, all the sweets were all still there, but would last fine and really had very little nutritional value beyond sugar. As appealing as it was to just snack on them whenever, Kagome was really holding off on doing so. So, the ramen it was, unless she found a stash of muesli bars in some hidden pocket – that she wasn't entirely sure she'd actually packed in the first place, since she hadn't found them already.

"So that is how it works," Sesshoumaru commented as Kagome pressed the spark that lit the gas. He had been curious since Kagome had given explanations for all the things she had in her bag.

Kagome nodded silently and set the full kettle of water over the controlled flame. She was still too embarrassed about her recently passed period to speak more than was necessary.

There had been explaining about tampons and modern sanitation practices, the _rationing_ of her tampons, so that she wouldn't use them all up in one go – because who knew how long Naraku was going to ignore them down here – and the ultimate embarrassment of Sesshoumaru disposing of them with his acid claws! As if it hadn't been enough that Sesshoumaru attacked their 'excrement corner' of the cave with his acid claws every evening already, though she was grateful for that because it meant that there wasn't any smell to put up with and no risk of disease from it.

A couple of minutes later, Kagome was snuggled up to Sesshoumaru's side, one of his arms over her shoulders while she held the paper bowl, and they took turns gathering up the ramen noodles with their chopsticks. He had a way of forcing her to get over her embarrassment, just like he had a way of helping her understand complicated mathematical or scientific theories. It was weird, but... not in a bad way.

"This Sesshoumaru has decided that he does _not_ like this 'ramen'," he declared as they took turns slurping up the broth.

Kagome smirked, amused, as she passed the paper bowl back to him. "Really?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru nodded, then took a gulp of the broth. "However, it will suffice as there is no other option to be had," he said as he returned the bowl to Kagome

Kagome giggled. "Agreed," she said, then took a mouthful for herself. "I actually don't like it all that much either."

"And yet you carry large quantities," Sesshoumaru pointed out, eyebrow raised questioningly, even as he accepted the paper bowl once more.

"InuYasha loves the stuff," Kagome answered while she watched Sesshoumaru take another mouthful of broth. "I liked it well enough, once, but that was back before I had a travelling companion who demanded it at every meal."

Sesshoumaru snorted in contempt and passed the bowl to her. "InuYasha has no sense of breeding."

"No manners, no class, no style, no taste," Kagome agreed, then tipped back the bowl and let the last of the broth slide into her mouth. "But we can't say he has no _breeding_, because his father was the great Inu no Taisho, and his mother was a hime. We can't blame genetics for InuYasha," Kagome said, and giggled again.

Sesshoumaru smirked and hummed in agreement and reached for the empty paper bowl.

"Uh, don't melt that part," Kagome asked. "Just tear it up. It's paper, so it will decompose without too much smell, and the fruit trees will benefit some."

Sesshoumaru nodded and proceeded to shred the paper bowl with his claws, then set it aside to be taken over to the rapidly growing orchard a little. Later. He had something he wished to discuss with the female at his side first.

"Why do you persist in your feelings for InuYasha?" he asked. "Your loyalty seems wasted on him."

Kagome blinked up at him in surprise. "Uh, he's a friend," she said. "Friends stick by one another. I got over any and all _romantic_ inclinations months before Kagura dropped me in here, if that's what you're asking about. It's easier just being his friend. He still acts the jealous boyfriend whenever Koga shows up though," she added with a frustrated sigh.

"Koga," Sesshoumaru repeated, and though it had none of the inflection of a question, it was clear that he was asking who this person was.

"Koga's a wolf demon who decided that I would be his woman, regardless of my opinion on the matter. Really annoying guy in general," Kagome explained, settling her chin onto her knees as she hugged her shins. "Especially since he's already _got_ a betrothed.

Sesshoumaru's arm that was still over her shoulders tugged her closer to his side gently. "Wolf demons are famously polygamous," he informed her gently. "They believe that a strong male should take and pup as many healthy females as possible, in order to increase the strength of the pack."

Kagome shuddered in his embrace. That was a _really_ unattractive idea. "What about dog demons?" she asked quietly. "Since InuYasha has been having commitment issues since the witch brought Kikyo back into a clay body."

Sesshoumaru snorted derisively. "Despite the examples of this one's father and half-brother that might cause you to believe otherwise Kagome, dog demons are generally loyal to only _one_ mate. A matter of extenuating circumstance may cause that loyalty to be transferred to a new female, but as a rule dog demons are monogamous."

Kagome nodded. "Good to know," she said quietly, and burrowed her face a little deeper into Sesshoumaru's side.

Unseen by her, a small, content smile found its way onto Sesshoumaru's face as he looked down at her in that moment.

~oOo~

The fruit trees were in bloom, and due to the lack of pollinating insect, Kagome was up and doing the task herself. There was plenty of ramen still, and the sweets were still completely untouched, but to have a ready supply of fresh fruit would be _so_ much better.

"It really is amazing how well they grow with so little light," Kagome murmured to herself. The only light in the cave-prison was that which streamed in from the hole in the roof.

"This Sesshoumaru has explained to you before that they grow thanks to your miko powers," came the deep voice of the demon behind her.

Kagome spun around in surprise. "I thought you were still asleep," she said. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You did, but this Sesshoumaru was waking already," he answered.

Kagome nodded in acceptance, and returned to her self-appointed task of hand-pollinating the fruit trees.

When her task was complete, Kagome looked down at herself and decided it was time to take her second bath. And probably wash her clothes as well. No, washing clothes would have to wait until there was a branch clear of blossoms for her to hang her clothes from so that they could dry. Just a bath then. Kagome released more of her miko powers over the trees, encouraging them to accept the pollination and to bear fruit – soon.

"Don't."

Sesshoumaru's voice cut across her as she reached for the little bag that held her bathing supplies, and Kagome turned to him in surprise.

"It has been almost a moon-cycle since your last cleansing. This Sesshoumaru would prefer _not_ to be tortured by the scent of you ripe and at his side, but untouchable."

Kagome blushed. She'd forgotten about that. It _was_ about that time again.

"You prefer me covered by the smells of pollen?" she asked.

"They are powerful odours," Sesshoumaru said, "and not easily borne in such proximity, but far less tempting and testing than the scent of _you_," he informed her.

Kagome waited to bathe until after her period had passed. Her second in this prison with Sesshoumaru. A part of her was surprised that only two months had gone by. In that time, she'd really gotten to _know_ the stoic demon lord who was trapped here with her, she'd finished studying all of her text books, and... a still small part of her was beginning to fall for the demon who incinerated her tampons and taught her how to channel and control her powers.

And he'd been down here for two months longer than her.

Would they ever get out? If they did, what would happen then?

Apart from InuYasha pitching a fit, of course.

~oOo~

Normally, Kagome woke up ensconced, tucked up in her blanket with her sleeping bag beneath her acting as a futon, and pressed up to Sesshoumaru's side, as he was sharing the slight luxury that was the padding of her sleeping bag – all unzipped and flat beneath them so that they both fit on top of it. On this particular morning, she woke up to find that she had wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru in her sleep.

Sleepily, Kagome smiled to herself, squeezed her arms around him gently, then relaxed and once more buried her face in Sesshoumaru's chest, smiling as she went back to sleep.

Sesshoumaru woke up moments after Kagome had slipped back into the land of slumber and dreams, and looked down in surprise to find her wrapped around him as she was. When she squeezed him again in her sleep and mumbled his name with a smile on her lips though, he could feel only quiet joy and encompassing contentment. For a while, he just watched her sleep. For a long while, in fact. He didn't notice how long he had simply been watching Kagome sleep until she opened her eyes and blinked up at him.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru," she greeted with a shy smile. "Did you sleep well?"

Sesshoumaru nodded silently, and bent slightly to place a light kiss on her brow. "Good morning Kagome," he said as he withdrew once more, carefully watching for her reaction to his gesture.

A brilliant smile lit up her face and there was a slightly darker pink hue to her cheeks than there usually was. Then her own lips brushed softly across Sesshoumaru's own cheek before she was pushing herself up to begin the day – and it looked like she was going to start with a wash, if the way she was once again reaching for her little bag of bathing supplies was any indicator.

"May this Sesshoumaru join you in cleansing?" he asked.

Kagome froze. Slowly, she turned and blinked at him in surprise. Not once since she'd been dropped in here by Kagura had Sesshoumaru mentioned bathing in relation to himself, but now, on this slightly different morning after almost three months of sharing space, he was asking to take a dip in the freezing cold water _with her_!

"I'd like that," she answered quietly. She meant it too. She'd had a lot of time to think over things down here. Her feelings for InuYasha: friendship. Her feelings for Koga: annoyance. Her feelings for Hojo back in her own time: frustration, and not the good kind. Her feelings for Sesshoumaru? Well, she'd left 'kinda like him that way maybe' back a few weeks ago and was almost definitely up to 'could very well be totally in love with him'.

There was one problem though. Quite apart from the near-glacial temperature of the water, the pool that it gathered in prior to flowing outside wasn't exactly large. One of them and the legs of the other would fit, but they couldn't actually share the water properly. They'd be taking turns.

Kagome climbed in first, while Sesshoumaru was still removing his armour and robes, and scrubbed quickly – as much as she liked being clean, she did _not_ like being freezing. The only thing that really took a while was her hair. It had gotten a bit longer, but that was to be expected after a few months and no way to get a haircut. While she pulled it over her shoulder to work the conditioner through, she felt long-fingered, clawed hands touch her shoulder and begin to massage the skin over them, and down her back until they reached where the cold water lapped at her hips.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru," she said, turning her head to look over her shoulder and smile at him in gratitude, only to blush when she saw his pupils dilated as he watched her and breathed deeply through his nose. Quickly, Kagome ducked under the surface of the cold water, rinsing herself off, and then grabbed her towel and climbed out, wrapping it around her as she went. "Your turn," she said quietly.

Without word, the demon lord slipped into the water she had just left, never once taking his eyes from her.

Kagome, towel tucked around her securely, washed his hair once he was distracted by the act of soaping himself. When he took his hair from her and began running his claws through the conditioned strands, Kagome claimed the soap and washed his back as he had hers.

"Your scent is ripe again Kagome," he told her, not leaving the water even though he was clean now. His voice was a bit more husky than usual, as though strained or pained. He did not turn to look at her.

Kagome smiled to herself and bent down to Sesshoumaru's bare back and pressed a gentle kiss as high up his neck as she could reach.

"Kagome, you test the limits of this Sesshoumaru's control," he warned her, and his voice was _definitely_ strained.

Kagome rested her chin on Sesshoumaru's shoulder and looked over his defined pectorals to the surface of the water and their reflections there. "What is this mark?" she asked, reaching a hand up and caressing Sesshoumaru's brow, though she looked only at his reflection and not his person, and did not seem to care at all that she was not responding to his earlier comments. His warnings.

"It is the mark of this Sesshoumaru's line, the mark of his father's line and the line of his father before him. It is the mark that a son of this line will pass on to his mate when he chooses her."

"Then why do only you have it?" Kagome asked, curious.

"This one's mother still wears the mark of his father," Sesshoumaru countered. "It appears when we are mature enough to take a mate and capable of providing that mate with pups," he continued, knowing the true meaning of her question. "InuYasha will never gain this mark," Sesshoumaru said. "The Tensaiga has the ability to give life, but it does not permit for those it gives life to, to then create life themselves. This Sesshoumaru's father was forced to use the Tensaiga on InuYasha and his mother on the day that InuYasha was born."

Kagome giggled at the story, harsh though it was for InuYasha. Still, it amused her to know that InuYasha could never have given Kikyo that 'normal life' she wanted. A sterile husband can't provide children after all.

"So how does it work? Passing on this mark to your chosen mate?" Kagome asked, her gaze lowering once more to their reflections in the cold water, and her hand moving down from Sesshoumaru's brow to wrap around the opposite shoulder to the one her chin still rested upon.

"The male simply decides to grant it, and the female must accept it," he answered, and turned his head to bury his nose just behind Kagome's ear. "If there is another male who wishes to claim the female, then she must consciously accept the mark of one of them before it will manifest. If there is no competition for the female, it will appear, and remain, unless the female rejects the suit of the male within seven nights."

"Hmm," Kagome sighed, smiling. "What happens when the female doesn't know if she's got lots of males chasing her? Some women can be a bit dim about these things after all."

"When she expresses an interest in one of the males who seek her, when she chooses to esteem one in her heart above all others, if he bears a mark as those of this Sesshoumaru's line do, then it will appear," he said, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply of the scent of her soap and her skin.

Kagome smiled to herself and raised a hand to stroke Sesshoumaru's wet hair, her gaze still fixed on the reflection in the water that Sesshoumaru had not yet left.

"I can't imagine you without that blue crescent moon on your brow," she said softly, even as she watched it fade into view on her own forehead. She giggled softly. "But I'm not going to have to imagine," she continued, and felt Sesshoumaru stiffen where they touched. "I'm going to get to see it for myself as soon as you bring your face out from my hair."

Sesshoumaru whipped his head around to look down at the reflection in the pool then, and his own eyes confirmed Kagome's words. He looked up at her and twisted his body in the cold water so that he was face to face with her.

Before he could say anything, Kagome pecked at his lips with her own, and beamed at him from where she knelt at the edge of the chill water.

Sesshoumaru lunged out of the water, sweeping Kagome up into his hold so that she did not fall back, indeed pulling her close to him as he threaded his hands into her slowly drying hair and firmly, passionately, covered her lips with his own.

Her toes barely touched the ground with his arms under hers and around her back, holding her up as much as holding her close, and Kagome held tightly to Sesshoumaru's shoulders as she gladly kissed him back.

Several hours later, curled up together in what was just about a nest made out of Kagome's sleeping bag, blanket, and Sesshoumaru's pelt, Sesshoumaru breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the woman who was now _his_. She stirred in his arms as his chest expanded.

"Well?" she asked, a sleepy smile on her face as she looked up at him. "Did you get your mate pupped today?"

"Oh yes," Sesshoumaru answered her, smiling back. "So it is most fortunate that the fruit trees will be bearing and bountiful soon. You will need all you can get to keep yourself and our pups healthy."

Kagome nodded happily. She'd likely also be digging into the still untouched stash of sweeties. "I just hope I don't get cravings for something I really can't have," she said, closing her eyes and snuggling closer to him, a smile on her face as she finally drifted off to sleep to the sound of Sesshoumaru chuckling and the sensation of his lips pressing against where she now wore his mark.

~oOo~

"So tell me Kagura," Naraku's voice came floating down to them from above, wakingi them. "Do you think they will have expired yet?"

They'd slept late, having been up late the night before comparing human pregnancies with demon pregnancies, particularly _dog_ demon pregnancies, sorting out all the worst possible things that _could_ happen while simultaneously both were hoping for the best. The slimy tones of their least favourite half-demon woke them though. In the interests of finding some way _out_ of their prison though, they both opted to keep their silence.

There was nothing to be gained by yelling at a foe they could not reach to fight against after all – and no, Sesshoumaru could _not_ fly out of the hole in the roof of the cave. He'd tried that the day he'd been thrown in. The barrier let _everything_ in, and _nothing_ out.

"Sesshoumaru _might_ still be alive," Kagura answered, "_if_ he ate the girl. Even great demons like him need to eat, and they haven't had access to any food for the several months now since I dropped the priestess in. Humans can't go for more than three weeks without food. Whether she was eaten or not, she is most certainly dead."

"Hmm," Naraku mused. "So there is a vague possibility that Sesshoumaru lives, but likely he is too weak by this point to so much as stand, even if this is so."

They could _hear_ the smirk in the spider-hanyou's voice, and it made _both_ of them want to claw his face off. It really was a good thing that the space where they had bedded down couldn't be seen from the hole in the roof of the cave, or Naraku would know the truth. Any time he got something wrong was good as far as they were concerned.

Naraku laughed. Loudly. "Well, let _this_ join their corpses, too late to be of use, if it could even be used by them at all," he declared.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru both watched, wide-eyed, as a very familiar sword fell into their prison, clattering in its sheath as it hit the ground.

"And now, just like them, it will never be a threat to me again," Naraku said smugly.

For a long time, neither of them moved. They did not want to risk being spotted by the vile half-breed in case he decided to release something dangerous upon them. At length, Kagome's stomach gurgled softly, and Sesshoumaru rose to fetch her some fruit from the trees.

They would not approach the sword until the next day, when they could be certain that Naraku was gone. Better to be cautious after all, particularly as it would be Kagome fetching it, in case the barrier around the blade continued to reject Sesshoumaru.

"If the Tessaiga is here," Kagome said softly as she sat down between Sesshoumaru's legs and leant back against his chest, the sword in her lap. "InuYasha must be dead."

"Or insane," Sesshoumaru reminded her gently. "But for him that is very nearly the same thing."

Silently, Kagome nodded, then drew the sword from its sheath. "I wonder if it still has all the powers InuYasha got it to absorb, or if we'd have to somehow start all over again."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "The Wind Scar is not even a power that is inherent to the blade," he informed her. "This Sesshoumaru was present for the fight where his father caused the blade to absorb that attack, as well as the Backlash Wave."

Kagome smiled, broadly and brightly. "Then it will still have the ability to break barriers!" she cheered. "Then we'll be able to get out of this cave and eat _meat_ again," she added, almost dreamily. It had been a _long_ time since they'd had meat. The little freeze-dried chunks in the ramen didn't count.

"And you will be able to see your family again," Sesshoumaru said, his tone sounding just a bit sad and wistful. "You will even be in time to sit your 'finals'," he commented.

Kagome hummed in agreement and stretched her neck up so that she could kiss Sesshoumaru's jawline. "Graduate at last, and then I don't have to worry about my own time any more. I can just stay with you."

Sesshoumaru smiled and relaxed, wrapping his arms around her. "This Sesshoumaru was concerned that you might prefer to remain in your own time," he admitted softly.

Kagome snorted. "Yeah right," she answered sarcastically. "About the only thing they've got in the future that I really miss, apart from my family of course, is plumbing. Everything else, I've long since figured out alternatives."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Kagome's little wash bag.

Kagome blushed. "I said I'd found alternatives, I didn't say that I _liked_ all of them," she said. "Making my own soap is always a trial, so it's just _easier_ to use the bought kind. Besides, the bought kind always smells nicer. Actually, I've figured out alternatives to plumbing as well, but really it _is_ nice to have both hot and cold water available whenever I want it."

Sesshoumaru chuckled, content with her answer, and nuzzled into her hair. "If you can find something that explains this 'plumbing' the same way your texts explain their theories, then this Sesshoumaru will see to it that you shall have plumbing."

Kagome giggled, delighted and slightly ticklish over the way he was nuzzling her, and resolved to find a comprehensive guide to do-it-yourself plumbing the next time she was back in her own time. One with detailed instructions and lots of useful pictures.

First though, they had to get out of here.

Actually, first, Kagome had to give birth. Her water just broke.

"It would appear that you will only have to endure the two moon-cycles that are usual for full dog demon pregnancies," Sesshoumaru said, wrapping his arms around her ribs below her breasts and hurrying them both over to the edge of the icy pool.

"Small mercies," Kagome answered, grimacing as she felt a contraction ripple through her. "I'm sure it will still hurt _plenty_."

Sesshoumaru kissed Kagome's temple. "I will not leave you," he promised.

"You'll want to when I start screaming," Kagome promised, clutching his biceps fiercely.

It took three hours, and when it was over Kagome tenderly, gently, carefully held the pure white puppy against her breast. The _tiny_, pure white puppy. With his tiny pink nose and his eyes that weren't open yet and his soft, soft, _soft_ fur, so fine, and his little tail, just flopped and resting gently against the edge of her hand where she held him.

"Look what we made," Kagome cooed as the puppy sightlessly sought milk and – with a little help from Kagome – began to suckle. She giggled. "This is something I _never_ imagined happening," she confessed.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her waist, rested his chin on her shoulder, and just stared at his son.

"He's so small," Sesshoumaru said, awed, gently running the pad of one finger over the pup's ears.

"He'll grow," Kagome promised.

"He'll learn to hold a disguise as well," Sesshoumaru said, resting his head against hers. "This Sesshoumaru is amazed, to see a pure dog demon pup born of a priestess."

Kagome giggled again. "Well, what are you going to name him Papa?" she asked, kissing Sesshoumaru's cheek.

For a long time, he just stared at the pup that was suckling from his mother. "Saiteki," Sesshoumaru answered at last.

Kagome smiled. Saiteki meant perfect, and she couldn't agree more.

~oOo~

They did not leave the cave, their prison and home, until little Saiteki opened his eyes some weeks later. This time also served for Sesshoumaru to familiarise himself with the abilities of the Tessaiga, and for the last fruit of their trees to be collected. Kagome washed all their clothes – it wouldn't do for Sesshoumaru to reappear anything less than pristine after all – and packed up her bag. With all of the ramen gone, replaced by fruit, and all of her sweets still there as she hadn't gotten to the craving stage before Saiteki was ready to be born, the bag was not as bulky as it had been before.

Sesshoumaru wrapped one arm around Kagome's waist, below where she wore her bag and weapons, and Kagome wrapped the arm that was not cradling their son around Sesshoumaru's shoulder. He gathered his cloud of youki beneath his feet and flew them up to the opening, their single source of light for the past months. In his other hand, the Tessaiga was transformed and he gripped it expertly. With a single swing, the barrier over them, the barrier that had kept them trapped, shattered. They were free.

Sesshoumaru wasted no time in hurrying his mate and pup out and away. Their destination was the Bone Eater's Well. Kagome had things to sort out in her own time after all, not the least of which was introducing her mother to Sesshoumaru and Saiteki.

Together they descended into the well, and with a smooth leap Sesshoumaru carried his family out once more into the well house.

"Kagome! You're back!"

"Hey Souta," she greeted, careful of Saiteki even as her little brother barrelled into her.

"We were so worried about you!" Souta cried.

Gently, she patted his hair. "I couldn't really do anything about that," she said. "I got trapped, but it's all okay now."

Souta chuckled into where his face was still buried in her clothes. "And you're back just in time for finals tomorrow," he said. "Boy are the teachers going to be surprised to see you!" Then Souta noticed that Kagome wasn't alone, and that her company was _not_ InuYasha. "Hey Kagome, who's that?" he asked quietly.

Kagome smiled and looked up at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru, I'd like you to meet _my_ little brother. Souta, this is Sesshoumaru. He's InuYasha's older half-brother, a full demon, and my -"

Sesshoumaru cut her off then, planting his lips over hers. "Just 'yours'," he said when he drew back again.

Kagome smiled. "Alright," she agreed, eyes dancing with delight. "Mine."

Souta's eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped. When he finally regained his composure he had only one thing to say: "Cool!"

~The End~


End file.
